Japanese light cruisers provided accommodation for the rear admirals and staffs commanding destroyer squadrons. British and American flotillas more often had captains or commanders with smaller staffs, reducing the need for that space. Senior officers and larger headquarters could support rapid expansion if more ships became available. That advantage depended on industrial infrastructure capable of supplying the additional ships.
Notable Point · 2:21:22-2:22:33
Why Japanese destroyer squadrons had light-cruiser leaders
Light cruisers accommodated the larger Japanese command staffs, but senior headquarters alone could not supply the ships needed for expansion.